E 680 
.B16 
Copy 1 




lean Success Essential lo Legitimate Reform. 



SPEECH 



OF \y^ 

HON. JOILN H. BAKER, 

OF INDIANA, 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

Wednesday, Awjasl 9, 187G, 

On Ihe necessity of ihe sactcss of liio republican party in order to secure legitimata reform. 

Mr. BAlvEE, of Iiuliana. :Mr. Speakoi", two year.^ tigo tlic democratic party 
wont before the country on the claim of reform in the civil .service, retrenchment In 
expondlturos, and reduction of taxation. Thev .succeeded in electing a large 
majority of t!ie members of this House and in obtaining control in many States, 
in tlic impending pro.sitleutial campaign tlie same issue is made prominent in the 
platform.s of tlieir national and State conventions, in tiie speeclics on the lloor of 
Congress, in tiie public press, and on tiie stump. From time to time tlie democratic 
candidixte for the l're.4dency had given out that the battle-cry of the canvass was to 
be reform, and iu his letter of acceptance he has amplified the same idea, hoping 
evidently Ity a mere eatch-word to take captive the popular heart. This cry falsely 
implies ihat th(> republican party is oppo.sed to reform. The Haunting of their paitv 
banner iu our faces inscribed ••reform" challenges attention to their record in the 
past and their practice at the present time, 'in relbrni the people demand the 
genuine article and not a glittering sham. 

Tlic character of the last democratic national administration in every element 
constituting pure, economical, honest, p.atriotic government Avas so shameless tliat 
no man can be lunnd hai-dy enough to defend it. Covered with corruption and 
swarming with i)ecuI:itors from the i)ublic Treasury, there was no department of 
tliat administration that was not lioney-combed with frauds and crimes. It is dif- 
licnlt to determine whether the imbecility and wickedness of the President or the 
treason fostered and encouraged in the Cabinet and in the halls of Congress are 
more caleulared to aro;:.<e ])alri(>iic indignation. TIk; incapacity of that partj' to re- 
troiicli expenditure^ vil'iilf •;onlroHing the national administration is shown by it.s 
creation of a debt annually lo carry on the Govenmicnt in time of peace. The ex- 
penditures exceeded the revenui.'s as follows : 
For t.'p fi>c:;l ye:\r c-nding Juno 00 — 

'8^^ • S^7/)29,0(H *! 

i'-'^ li,.''.8.t,0n m 

1«^" 7,lKiV90 ;.r. 

' "'1 2j,036,7 1 4 iiO 

Making tlie totnl .indebtedness created 7."),217,r,i() ij'.i 

The public credit had meantime sunk so low that a loan of .fj.').000,()0() was 
negoti.ated at a discount of about L") per cent, below par. Nothing need be added 
to this naked outline to make the picture of the profligacy, corruption, and treason 
of the democracy of that day appear in all its naked deformity. 

In his letter of acceptance the democratic candidate for Vice-President makes 
ihe following charge : 

Tlie burdens of the people must al.so be liKhtencd bv .i pi-ent change in our sv.-item of public ex- 
pon.ae. T))o profligate expenditure wliich increased taxation from ^j per capita in 1860 to $18 in 11»70 
tolld its own story of our need of t].-<cal reform. 

The burdens of the people are undoubtedly great, and tiiey ought to be lightened 
to the utmost by every possible fiscal reform. The republican party lias done this 
in a most remarkable de^ee, as I .shall presently .'^iiow. The burdens of taxation 
spoken of by Mr. Hendricks must be national, as he is speaking of the reform to be 






accomplished in Uiis parllcular by a national democratic success. Let us rcciu' to 
official data and see liow nearly he speaks the truth. I have before nio a recent 
statement, carefully prepared i)y the Treasury Department, exhibitinnj the com- 
parative ordinary expenses of tiie Government for the years 18G0 and 1875. I in- 
corporate tlic material portions of this statement in my remarks, as follows : 

« 
Comparison of tlie expenditures of 1875 loitli tliase of 18G0. 



OVijects of expenditure. 



Cougrep? 

Kxecutive 

.fydician.- 

Territorial govcinmonts. 

Total civil list 

l-'oreiKD intorcourso 

Miscolliineous 

Indians 

J'ensions 

j'llilitary estabiiFiniient... 

N.iTal establishment 

Interest on public debt... 






o a 



-.2S-S 






I'l.lj2,8(i0 (.S I 2,>-"8l),0(i5 (i7 

4,187,628 21 1 1,^90,876 07 

290,41G 77 



3 0,767.9! 8 t! 

3,2.31,i"w7 1:; 

48,07 l,('.!i7 7 2 

8.a84,65() .^2 

2l'.4r)6,216 22 

41,120,(!45 iW 

21,497,626 27 

103,09.3,544 67 



4,!^76,478 12 
2,016,286 !i.T 
28,016,523 53 



29,4.if),21G 22 

16,799,169 62 

4,991,400 34 

103,093,544-57 



Total I 274,023,392 84 I 189,849,630 35 

Deduct 12,675 per cenl., the aver:i?;e inomium on gold during the year 
the expenditures here given being in currency wiiile those of 1860 
were in gold 



IJeduct items wliii.'h are not in reality expenditure?, but '.vhieh appear 
HO by reason of the ey.stem of book-keeping in practice in tho De- 
p.irtment 



Excess of expend! nrf'.<! of 1875 over l&D..... 



73 <:o 



$2,GI9,.i29 4.3 
2,:H7,47»3 (r, 
1,181,667 9.; 



St4,891,440 01 
1,214,800 18 

19,455,169 19 
8,384,050 82 



21,321,476 3'; 
16,.o06,219 93 



6,148,aVj -Si 

1,163,207 r, 

20,658,1.107 92 

I 3,055,686 511 

ir.,400.7G7 lit 
11,513,1.51) 19 
3,177,314 62 



84,773,762 49 63,02-5,783 L^ 



10,745,074 40 



"4,028,083 09 



4,172,670 32 | 1,623,330 34 



61,402,408 64 



The expenses for the year 1S7G are less by several millions than tliey vrcre in 
]87o. so Ihat for the prcijcnt fiscal year the oNp'^nsc?- nf tlie CovMmmeut, after de- 
ducting the eii)cii.-e.s gTowin;^ out t'f tlir v.ar (lilit :!Md v.iu- <I.;l!ii?, are about the 
^ .me as in 18G(J. Tlie above sf;',((>n'v!;t ;;;(>v.,< tiuit liic expenses fori 1S75 exceed 
those of 18G0 by only tlie ;=;i:-i <m c= ■;, |.j;j,70;f.!J. Tiiis statement, Avhich is entirely 
authentic and ollieial. shovis in d'.'tail tliat tiic reckless and partisan charges of the 
democratic vicc-presidentiul candidate arc wholl3'' unfounded. This misstatement 
was knov/ingly made hy Governor Jlendi-icks for bad party purpose.?. It demon- 
strates what a moment's refiection nuist convince any imparti;il mind is Mie truth. 
and that is that the great and overwhelming burden under wiiicli our people labor, 
and wliieh hangs like an incubus en our prostrate industries, is the bitter fruit of a 
■\vickcd and eaiiseless rebellion. And yet the very men who have nearly wrought 
our ruin wltli an eifrontcry unparalleled, ask the people to place in tli(ir keeping 
all that is valuable in the present or iiopeful for the future. 

In 18GU the population of tlie country wa.s in round numbers 31,000,000. The 
net ordinary expenses of the Governmeiit |w capita were $2.04 hi currency. In 
1875 the population in round numbers was •14.000,000. The ordinary expenses of 
the Government I'^T" dV7^«to, after doducting the oqienscs for which the republican 
party is not responsible and whicli cannot be diminisiied by any party in control of 
the Government, are $1.70 in currency. Anotlier illustration will show tlie falsity 
of the eliargt; made liy Governor IlendricI':?. In 1S70 tlie population was 38,000,000. 
The taxes at 61S per capita would amount to $634,000,000. The amount actually 
collected that year was only 6411,255,477.21. In 1875 they were reduced to $288,- 
000,051.10, or con.sidcrably"lo?.^ than one-half the amount stated by the democratic 
Tice-presidential candidate. 

The democratic presidential candidate is equally unfortunate in his attempt to 
deceive and mislead t)jc people. In his letter of acceptance he sayg : 



;^, Tho prcsoat depression in all the business and industries of the people, which is depriving labor 

^. of its employment oud carrving want into so many homes, has its principal cause In escestsivo govern- 

^_^mentnl conHiimption. Under iho illusions of a epocious prosiierity, oiigoudtTcd l>y the fiiUe policio<< 

* of tho Fciloral GovernriGnt, a waslo of capital lias l)oeu goin^ on ovt^r smce (he pcaco of 18C6. which 

-»vCot!ki only fii.l in utiiversal disuhtt'r. The Kodoral Uixon of tiiu but eleven yeors reach tho iriKanlio 

sum of S1,.''aW,i.'()U,0i,.U 

The jMirpose of this reference is to show the people tliat all tliis va.st sum has 
jheeii consumed in carrying on the ordinary functions of the Government. 
^ A n.'porl fm-nished mo on request by the Secretary of the 'I'reasnry, which I 

liave in my hand, siiows thattlic expenses of the hi'Jt eleven years endiii.ii"with June 
30, ISTu, were as follows : 

Tor tho fiscal year endin;; June 00— 

1S«6 8'J20,809,416 W 

1867 357,542,076 Ifi 

IS68 377,340,284 80 

1Sf.9 322,8M.'^7 80 

1S70 300,fl53,.'>«0 75 

1H71 2«.',I77,188 ii 

l!i"2 2T7,517,OB2 07 

lii."3 •2'j0.3»5,:45 33 

IS71 287,133,873 17 

1ST5 274,t)J3,39^ 84 

1870 258,4t'.l,7'J7 33 



Making total amount of cspeiuliturea iu the last eleven years 3,508,408,075 15 

ilr. Tildi?n, it will l>c seen,com'e3 Avithin about one thousand millions of havin^f 
his ii;;ures correct. If he had embraced the last ticc'we years in his statement, it 
would have been suhstaniUi}ty correct as to amount. 15ut to have been entirely ac- 
curate he ought to have stated that the sum of $1,031,0U(>,01MJ Avas paid out durini^ tlie 
liscal j-ear 18(35 to the Army and for the expenses of tlie last year of tlie rebellion. 
Cau he never ceaso upbraiding; the republican party for the thousands of millions 
spent in putting down tin; rebcluon? Would he have had the republican party in 
1SI>5 repudiate the more than one thousand millions then due to the gallant defenders 
of the IJepublic against a rebellion whose life was prolonged into 18tJ5 by his Cliicago 
peace platform, which declared '-tlie experiment of war a failure?" Durin» the 
eleven years ending with June 00, 1S7C, tliere have been paid out on two single ac- 
count? "the following amount?; : 

laterext on Ulc public debt. 
Tor the fiscal voar eiiuing June 30— 
l«CG <l33.0t37,711 00 

^^7 :.; ; 143,731,501 lu 

SOS 140,424,046 71 

«;) 130.6^.242 Bit 

ISrO ;;■." 129,235.49S 00 

iSji 12.1,570,566 10 

8:'. 117,357,839 72 

\l-,\ 104,750,6S8 44 

^'4 107,119,815 21 

\l~X . 103,093,544 Ul 

ic:o:::;::::;:::":""":"""""'"'".:.z;..' 100.243,271 23 

'j'otal interest paid on public debt in tho la.'-t eleven ye.irs 1,33J,144,813 21 

The amount jyiid for pensions. 

For ilie fiscal vcar ending June 30— 

iB,-^ ' £15,005.352 3.J 

2^ 20,936,551 71 

SU 23,782.386 7rt 

S^, 2.n47C,021 7H 

A70 :::::::::::::::::..:.:::. 2:<,3ia202i7 

2-i 2"5.^33,40'2 7>; 

\l^l 29.rKV.»,42ti 8.! 



1874. 



20.aw,4n G»i 



\u-,\ :;:; 20.4.0,2102^ 

I^:;-;;;;;;;;;;;:;;;::;;;:::; :s,2j7,305 m 

Total amount of pennions paid in the last eleven years 2('G.22*.>,8t5J Oo 

These two items amount to $1,031,374,711.17. To this must be added war, 
cotton, and southern claims p.aid in the last eleven years, at least 8:250,000,000. ThU 
amount of disbursements was made during this jjeriod and is directly referable t© 
the rebellion. To all this must be added $G2iJ,l.")4, 730.50 paid on the jiublic debt up 
to June 30, 187(5. Since then $1,300,000 more has been paid. So that instead of 
four thousand live hundred millions having been consumcil in carrying on the ordi- 
nary functions of the Government tlie sum is less rather than over one thousand 
million dollars lor the whole period of eleven years. The true amount is verj' nearly 



$000,000,000. Considering the population, the unsettled condition of the eleven 
lately seceded States, the necessarily large increase of tlie pubhc service from the 
growth of tlie conntiy and the reconstruction of the South, and the increased pay 
ofour soldiers and sailors, tlie consumption of taxes for tlie ordinary expenses of 
tlie Government has been certainly less in proportion to the wealth and population 
than it was under the last democratic administration. Tlie obvious purpose of sucli 
grossly partisan misstatements by the democratic presidential and vice-presidential 
"andidates is to impose on the ignorant or unwary, a course whicli can find its only 
apology in tlie desperation of a bad cause. 

One more fact in this connection ought to be stated. It will present repuolican 
reform in the large and steady reduction of internal revenue taxes and customs dues 
since the close of the rebellion in a manner gratifying to every well-wisher of his 
countiy. The estimates which 1 use will be found in the finance report of 1872. 
On recent application at the Treasury Departement, I have received confirmation of 
their accuracy. These estimates are therefore reliable as well as onicial, having 
tuuiorgone a ilonble scrutiny. 

The irdiiction of taxation since the close of the war has been as follows : 

1)1 internal rexenue. 

UythcaotolJulyi:;,18fiO ^jn'nnnmi 

By (heiict ol March'^ 1S67 „"'H^„ rX^ 

Ky thouctof KcbniaryS, 18G3 2J,OpO,00() 

Hy tlic net of Miirch 31, 18G8, and July i;0, 18GS '^i^'OOd.WK) 

by tlie act of July 14, 1S70 5o,000,000 

ty the act ol' Juue 0, 1S72 lO.Uol.OOO 

Milking total rcihiction of Internal-revenue tascs "J-lSjeol.OOO 

la customs dues. 

lly the act of July 14, 1870 $29,526,410 

Uy the acta of May 1 and Juue 0, 1S72 ol,li2,i0l 

Milking tol.il reiluctions in customs duci 00,605,171 

The total reduction under these several acts is $309,350,171. Tlie average 
annual rcdiuHioii since the war and down to 1S75, when the democracy came into 
absolute control of the House, is $30,935,017.10. 

The Coiistlturiou invests the House of riepresentatives with the sole power of 
ofiginating tax and revenue bills. Hence the democratic party is alone responsible 
for^haviiig tillowed a session of nearly nine months to pass v.'itliout any etiective 
ctfort to reduce taxation, rtcveuuc reform wisely directed is always needed. The 
democracy in 187-1 pledged themselves to the country to reduce taxation more rap- 
idly and largely than has been done by the republican party. Had the republican 
party remained in control of the House it would have made large retiuctions this 
year, as it ha=J ilunc in 3'ears ])ast. T'his solemn pledge of revenue relbriu made by 
the democratic party was only made to be broken. To leave taxation unchanged, 
and simply cut ilown appropriations and cripplgthc Government can bring no relief 
to prostrate imlu-tries. It will simply drain the money from the people, and, instead 
of spending it in carrying ou tlie Government, needless millions will be hoarded in 
the TreasuVy and withdrawn from circulation. It will produce linancial stringency 
and distress instead of tUVordin.:;- needed relief. 

Two propositions have been presented by the democracy to the House. One 
bill proposes to lay a tax on tea and coilee, which should produce a revenue of Riy 
$30,000,000 per annum to l)e largely drawn from tlie laborers of the country. The 
other bill looked to cutting down", in the interest of the rich, the duties on many 
articles of luxury of foreign production. These facts exhibit the hollow pretense of 
the democratic parly so tar as relates to revenue reform. 

The fair inferc'nci.' from Mr. Tildeu's letter of acceptance and the known and 
uniform practice of the democratic party is that the only reform in the civil service 
v.-ill be to turn out honest, experienced, and capable men and women, largely Union 
soldiers and their widows and orphans, and replace them by a hungry and rapacious 
horde of deniocrats, largely made ui» of cx-confedcrates. 

k is claimed, lioweVer, that the bloody struggle of the rebellion and tlicir having 
be<!n kept out of the control of the National Government for the past sixteen years 
have purged tin; democrtitic parry of its protligacy and corruption. AVlien or how 
rliis mirax^'le lias been wrought wc. are left ]jainfully in ignorance. They assert that 
such is the fact v.-ithout ])roof and boldly demand that the people shall accept their 
assertion. Let them Ih-st do •• works meet for repentance.'' If we beg leave to 
doubt their conversion and call upon them for proof, we shall only follow tlie nuiTilms 
of wisdom uuil the ilictates of experience. Wherever the democratic party has iiad 



control ?iiicc 1800. wlu-tln'r ia St;iti' <ir iiiunii;li>:il ;;ovcnimoiit, it las proved tli;it it 
lias not lost any of itsoM Ii;vt)it.s of [•rollip^ucy an<l corruption. Its ucliniiiiatratiou 
of the linancos in State, connfy, and municipal alVaii'S lias always and rverywhorf 
been characterized by false pretenses of rctrenelinicnt and economy. In point of 
fact it has almost ahvays been extravagant, freiiuciuly corrupt, and often criminal. 
Iniisnuifh as the df^mocratic candidate for rre^ident is a citl/en of New York City 
and has been for nearly a quarter of a century a leadinj^ and intluenti.al politician in 
close and intimate personal and political relations with the democratic rulci-s of that 
city, we can fairly look to its luiancial manaj^ement as a type of the rrforni which 
wc may expect if llie democrats are su(;cessful in ^ainin^j control of the National 
Government. 

In is;50 the i)ublic debt of the city of New York amounted to tlie sum in round 
numbers or $900,01K), at which li»ure it stood with small lluctuations imtll l^iJ'j, 
when it was increased to ■$1,*282, 10;!. "jS. In tiie next year it was nc.lrly doubled, 
aud so apiiu the followin<x year; so that in iSiJO the debt had reached the sum of 
$7,l'2(;.70\l. Tiiis was stiUfurthin- increased, so that it amounted to $lo,:!lG,2ir2.8U 
in 1842. At liiis liu;un' it stood about stationary for the next ten years. Durinfjtho 
ten years from l^'rl to 1S(!2 it was increased to the sum of $21, tJ9.'),rj0n.s;}, Then 
followed six years of inodei-ate ili'mo(?ratic extravagance, increasing the debt by some 
!jl4,000.DOO, so that in ISf.S the debt amounted to $;i5,'.i83,017. It wa.s ahoiit this 
period that the hin'li pt>litical morals and the reform and economic virtues of Tilden, 
Tweed, Morrissey, Kelly and other eminent reformers of the Tammany tchool were 
most potential in i^overiiinu; that citv. In one vear the debt spranjj up from $^Jj,- 
0S3,7-17 in IStiS, to $47,(;'Jl,st() in IsiiO. In 1870 it liad swollen to $73,J73.752. In 
1871 it amounted to .'i'88,:;0'.i.:{St;. In 1872 it amounted to $'jr»,3S'2,ir.3. In 1873 it 
was increased to si()i;,;Ui;!,471. In IS74. the last year for which I have the otlieial 
ligures, the debt ainounteil to tlie enormous sum of !j'll4,!)79,l>70. Tlius in nine 
rears under a purely dcnioi'ratic administration the debtof this city has j;rown from 
$3.'>,98;5,(;i7 to ;MM.ii7'.),970. l>eins the g:iganticsum of $78,99G,:]23. Uefore this debt 
all the debts created under so-called carpet-bag governments in all the lately seceded 
States sink into insigniticance. The debt fastened on that city by the democratic 
party in inne years exceeds the whole debt contracted in all the States lately in 
rebellion since ihc close of the war. The VJiKper capita in New York was in — 

T>:30 Si 51 

Ksio •* s:i 

ISOO «S7 

18C0 11 W 

1870 :Jj 11 

1S74.. :!- "I 

The debt per otpiU was in 1830 $3.82 ; in 1874 $114.98. 

A debt of $11 ■"> in roimd numbers for each man, woman, and child is the legacy 
of deiiiocralic adniinisrraiioH in that great city. The peo])le of this country will 
hardly feel like savin;,' lo 111 Jcn and his Tannnany democi-atic friends, "Inasmuch 
as ye have been faithful ov,.i' ;; .'••v things, wc will make you ruler over many."' 

There is one otlicr mode in wnica the respective claims of the republican and 
democratic parties to hone^ry and elliciency in the administration of public all'aira 
mav be tested. And 1 wisli to say in passing tliat the republican party is not 
tishamed of its reconl. however much it may blush for the weakness and criminality 
of some of its meml)ers. It does not ask that its past shall be blotted from the page 
of history a!id the memory of men. As the majestic sun in our planetary system 
gives light and heat and life to the teeming millions of the earth, so the republican 
party has given liberty to a race, saved republican institutions from perishing from 
among mi-n. an 1 has given iVesli hope and heart to struggling humanity everywhen'. 
.Vs tlu're an- spots on tli'.- ili-k of the sun, so, as our i)arty is composed of fallible 
men. there have !)ecn errors and short-comings, and doubtless some bail and corrupt 
men have found their way into public place. IJut take the history of the republican 
l>artv^ for th.j hnt sixteen years as a whole, and when the future historian shall 
ciu-onicle the aeliievements of the lirst century of the Republic the loftiest niche on 
that historic i)age will be lill<'d with the deeds wrought by that great and patriotic 
party. Loyal, honest, and faithlul in the past, it is the safest guardian for the futuiv 
of the blood-bought results of the w;ir. 

1 cannot give place hen- for the full statement issued by the Secretary of the 
Treasury .June 19, 187i;. showing the amotuit of ilefalcations and the ratio of lo5«e.s 
per $l,()bi) to till' aggregate received and disbursed, arranged in i)eriods of four years 
eacli. I have t!ie detailed statement in my hand, and 1 read only the gro.ss amounts. 
First I read the amount of losses and det'alcatioas in the collection ot the revennea 
of the fjrovernment from all sources. 



Period. 



Receipts. 




January 1, 1S34, to Decemljer 31, 1S37 gl35,993,9CO 

.lanuury 1, 1S38, to December ;-;i, is-ll 12li.!)i8,5-13 

January 1, lS-i2, to Juno 30, ISiO 1 l(:i,73i),(W4 

Jiily 1, ISlo, to June 30, 18i0 201,S57,5i.« 

.Inly i, i8-l".l, to Juno 30, 1853 IM I.V!'-H,Orj 

July 1, l-»<53, to Ju.ie 3l), li-5? i ;.■•,.' K', -J, ' 

July J, 1657, to Juno 30, 18i.il ,;!.%:■..', Mm 'i 

July 1, iSGl, to June 30, Ifcij.'i i 4,i.;;u,4ijiJ,l.;< 

July 1, ISliJ, to Juno 30, KvuT 4,142,310,438 

Julv 1,1SG'J, to Jun3 30, 1873 2,570,045 580 

July 1, 1573, to Jun3 30, 1875 1,420,222,808 



51,383,82.5 
392,323 
429,981 
18,109 
270,270 
213,001 
191,003 
508,493 
2,502,721 
954,098 
322,183 



Loss on 

81,000. 



$10 17 
3 01 
3 C8 

08 

1 3!.) 

75 

02 
10 
03 
37 



Total...- 14,100,031,205 09 7,255,019 41 



This table telLs it,5 own tale. From a loss autl delaicatloa ot'$lU.17 on each 
${,000 of rooeipts during the la.'?t term of Andrev/ Jackson's admirii.stration, the 
losses and defalcations during the la^c term of President Grant's administration 
have reached the une::ampled iigure of 22 cents on each $1,00U of receipts. ^ViliIe 
I freely admit that there are serious defects in the civil service of the republican 
party, "its improvement on democratic civil service is great and unparalleled. 

J now read the gro?s totals of losses and defalcations in the disbursements of 
moneys from tlie Treasuiy. 







Pc 


si-niTice. 




Grand total, cxclusiyo of post-office. 


Peiio.l. 


l^isburse- 
ineuts. 


Losses. 


Lo.''s on 
$1,01)0. 


"Sr ] f^---- 


Loss on 
Sil,0C-J. 


Jan. 1, 1834, to Dec. 31 
Jan. 1,1&^8, t« Dec. 3! 
Jan. 1, 18-12, to June;'.! 
July 1,1845, to June,.! 
July l,184',t,toJv,iu^.; 
July 1, 1853, to Juii'^ 
July 1,187)7,10 Jun.' ./ 
July 1,1801, to Juii.',,' 
Jalvl,18;;5, to June . ■ 


,1837.. 

1.S41.. 

, l;>15.. 

lSi;i.. 
. 1-5 .. 

'. I"'-'. 


511,697,884 13 

1 8,284,1 Hi I 7 7 
18,(i!iO,750 :_>;» 
1(i.f.il,4:s -il 


513,090 51 

51,.'^! 19 tib 
2.07'J 40 
■J.5;i i:) 


Si 17 

1 i 

15 

1 9*1 

!> 02 

3 02 

1 91 

2 00 


8110,303,325 19 
137,094,438 Si 
109,187,401 24 
205,194,700 57 
194,370,493 14 
285,038,875 05 
3'2S,lK3,2ri8 3't 

4,oo7.r.:.'-i - 


$1,163,786 01 
2,899,053 84 
l,13:'.,2i2 40 
1,712,109 82 
1,485,192 08 
1,074 852 04 
2,292,825 52 
0.5!»<3,022 9i 
l,8S;!,0-ll 17 


m &5 

21 15 
l!) 37 

8 34 
7 Oi 
SO 

;r 

1 41 

48 


July l,lS(i',i, to Juni' .: 
JUlyl, 1873,10 Jnn..- .' 


, l^."5. 


0:i',7-.i,72i 01 


3l','J70 03 


1 13 
53 


2,0.)1.;V-.. •,!'.»; I,0'i0.'2ij2 4.S 
1,400,099,819 31 1 370,338 81 


4!) 

24 


Tot;U 


IS') 15"i \5i- S''. 


98;!,582 38 


2 02 li;!-930.8:n.072 05l 2L'.2ti(;.0'>8 28 


1 59 








' ' ' 


! 





These tables ?:-l;o-iV t'ui!:. th 
interests of the coaiUrv ;,.' p > 
any v>1io have hvi-.x i; i i ' i s : " ;■ . : 
in disbursements on ea<;h 81.'i 
In honestj'' and cfiicicney tliis !■: 
pie's money never stood n:\('A •:: 
iration since IS.'Jl as it (!;;;■- t'»- 
and corruptions during tweni '.- 
great on the average as tiiat < i' 
amazing, they ask to be put i:i' ■ i ■ - -: 

Hut, ^Ir. Speaker, it is iv ' : , , ; ■ 
democratic record of tlie pa-t ,!;:,■ 
before tlie House a:id i'.!c (■■.miitry ,• uni _^ i; 
may well give paii-e li> tiioug'.it;';;! mo; 
lending? These facts are like liic little ; 
sk}' givang (evidence of the coming storm 



;•-; to wiioiii are intrusted the vast financial 
I ;■ :t :;',•!■-•;!::•,■ ;".ve:Mge honesty and skill than 
;•!' 1 '.u'l.i. 'I'h.: average losses and defalcations 
;thnost lifty times k'U than in Jackson's day. 
>[' tlie service wliich takes charge of the peo- 
p:;rt as liigh under any democratic admlnis- 
\'-.'\ yet ".v'itii a record' .showing tlieir frauds 
rs t!) have hr:']\ liiore than twenty times as 
;inlican p;in .'. \\\V\ an assurance absolutely 
■•-ion of tlii; i7.)\ .■;;nuent. 
' y ■ ■ !■> ;ii';;il fiirriier tune in placing the 
, .;;■■ ii'iMiIdieiu record. 1 wisli to "briUi? 
\ i.v--[< o:' moi'e ivueni:- occurrence ; facts whlcli 
v.n a:id impol them to ask, Wliithcr arc we 
to:-m-clovid wlien it lirst appears upon the 
Tiiey siiow the tendency and purpose at 



least of the great controlling wing of the democratic p;irty, tlie southern win>i-, 
whicli gives vitality and power to th" n;ilion:d domocraey, and which will control, 
in the 'future, as in tlie itast, that p:n-;y auii its policies. I allude, sir, to the enorm- 
ous raids tlaU, are to be m:ule on ihi; Tre;i.s;'.iy in tiic inteix^-tof tlie South. It was 
to have been orcpecled t!i:vt witli an advei--^-: S!';;ate a:i!l Executive and with an 
iinpcndhig presidential election the southern democracy would have been prudent 
enough to have concealed their real purposes. Such, hov/evcr, is not the fact. The 
full measure of their demands upon the overburdened tax-payers of the North stands 
clearly revealed in the bills whicii southern democrats have introduced and have 



I)ending to-day in this Chamber, wljich are to sleep until they gaiu control of th« 
Government. "When tliat occurs they will demand their passa^'C. With a solid 
South tliey only need forty northern democratic votes to control the House. Who 
doubts tli;\t if tiic democrat.-; carry tlie country forty men, like Ephraim, baked only 
on one tide, -vTill be found to aid them. 

Let me, Mr. Speaker, call attention to these bills, not in order of their intru- 
iluction, but ratlier witli n iVrenee to the matter to which they relate. 

THE DIKECT-TAX JOB. 

The Urst bill to which I call attention is House bill No. 314.1, eutillcd "A bill to 
rofinid certain direct taxes on land collected from citizens in the late insurrectionary 
States under tlie act of Auc;ust .">, IS'Jl." Tlie act of 18G1 levied a direct tax of 
twenty millions and apportioned il, as provided by the Constitution, among the 
scjveral States accordlni;-' to population. All the States except those in rebellion 
assumed their (juotas and paid tliem excepting some small balances. The amount 
apjwrtioncd to the eleven iusurrcctionary States was $.j,irjJ,8S0. V/licn the war 
i-losed the collection of this tax in tiie South began and continued until July, ISGC, 
wlien Congress i)asscd an act suspending further collection until January 1, ISG'J. 
Xo eflerc lias be<Mi made to collect any of this tax since ISUO. The amount uncol- 
lected is $3,'iGi, 7715. Xot satisllod to" !)e relieved from the payment of this large 
debt, the South now demands that tlie Government sliall refund the sum of $2,10-J,- 
110. Tiic reason alleged in the bill is that said taxes "were taken from a pcopl<; 
irreatlv impoverished by tiio war and wholly unalile r,o pay the same, and that the 
burden of taxation may bt\ made equal and that all tlie i)eople alike in said States 
may be diuallv relieved by ihe act of suspension." 

Xearlv liireen millioiis of tills direct tax were drawn from tlie toiling people of 
tlie North". The exigency which made tills tax neoessary involved the loyal North 
in a debt of iie;irlv iwo thousand six hnndi-ed millions of dollars, the loss of nearly 
three hundred thousand iJircious lives, and live hundred tliousand more sliattered 
and broken bv wounds and disease. Who v/ill etiuahze their barueiis, repay their 
taxes, make g^od the losses of life and health and property 'i Cannot some southern 
democrat devise some sj-stem more equitable and just in its operations than to lay all 
tlie losses of the South on tlie patient back of the Nortli '/ 

Tira coTfON-T.^x: job. 

Under the provisons of the internal-revenue law there was levied and collected 
during the years 1SG3, ]S^4, ISGj, ISGG, 18G7,and 1SG3 a tax on raw cotton amount- 
ing to the sum of $G3,07-,3S3.7i). For several years there has been a determined 
combination to secure the refunding of tliis tax. The southern democracy is detcr- 
inined to get the. amount renmdcd to their people. A democrat from Georgia in- 
troduced a bill (11. li. Xo. 2;{2) which propo.ses to "rsfund the ta>: to t!io parties v.-lio 
actuallv produced tlie cotton." It is, however, a gigantic Job of lobbyist.'* and s[Kc\\- 
lators who have got control :it mere nominal liguifes of nearly the whole of tliis im- 
mense claim. Tiie amount involved makes this a nio^t popular scheme tur the lobljy 
ring, and if the democrats carry the election this year tha norihern laborers may 
prepare their shoulders for this now burden. Tne plan proposed by the bill is to 
issue bonds of the LTnited States in sums of one hundred, live hundred, and one 
thousand dollars, payable at the Treasury of the United States tu bearer at the end 
of thirty years from'date, in 2;old, bearing interest at the rate of 5 per cent, per 
annum, payable semi-annually in gold. Tiie annual interest o.i t!i:s sum would be 
$3,4()3,Giy. In thirty years th"e aniount of interest paid wouM be .$102,lUS,57t) ; tlius 
raalcing the entire amount, principal and intere.«t, to be taken fro;n the tax-payers 
$170,180,958. Four-lifths of this vast scheme of plunder would fall upon the labor- 
■ ers of the xNortli . 

CIjAIJIS i'^Oii U33 AND OCCUPATION OF rUOPiiRTV. 

Tliere are two other schemes pending before the House and awaiting a dem- 
ocratic victory to carry them to success wiiose gigantic proportions appall the mind 
with their vastue-ss. Tlie.^e schemes arc brought forv.-ard wiih the settled purpose 
on the part of the southern deraocracv to earry them at the earliest moment. TJie 
first of these two bids to which I refer is House bill Xo. 23G4, ''directing compensa- 
tion to be allowed for the use :ind occupation of proi)crty by the United States dur- 
ing the late war." It authorizes the Secretary of War "to allow reasonable com- 
pensation to all citizens of the United States for the use and occupation of their 
property by the United States xirmj', or any part thereof, during the late civil war.]' 
It provides '-that the affidavit of the claimant, supported by the competent tcsti- 



L2S?^ O*" CONGRESS 




8 013 789 570 5 



moiiy of any reputable citizen, s/uill be sufficient proof to establish the fact of the 
use and occupation of such property by said Army." 

It will be observed that the act is not confined to loyal citizens, but it in express 
terms embraces all citizens, whether loyal or disloyal. It gives every man, woman, 
and child who owned any property which was used or occupied by the Army during 
the war a claim on the Treasury for the reasonable value of such use and occupation. 
The whole South was used and occupied by our armies for four years, and now it is 
proposed to compel tlie loyal men of tlie North, who spent more than five thousand 
millions in treasure and tlu-ce hundred thousand lives to crush out the rcbelUon, to 
pay more than a thousand milhon dollars in addition for luving dared to use and 
occupy the South while fighting to preserve the Union I There is no constitutional 
amendment forbidding the payment of such claims. They now confront us here in 
this Chamber; and if the democratic party succeed, the patient laborers of the 
North must bow their backs while their southern masters lay on this load. 

The symmetry of tliis scheme of democratic plunder would not be complete 
without another bill to cover personal property. It is not wanting. An Arkansas 
member introduced a bUl (H. R. No. 653) 'Ho facilitate the adjustment and settle- 
ment of claims of citizens of the United States for stores and supplies taken or fur- 
nished during the rebellion for the Army of the United States, and for other pur- 
poses." This bill provides that — 

All citizens of the United States having claims against the United States for stores or supplies 
taken or lurnislied during tlie rebellion for the us» of the Array of the United Stiites, including the 
u-^e and loss of vessels or Ijoats while employed in the service of the United States, may institute 
suit against the United States for tUo adjustment and recovery of such claimg, &a. 

This bill, like the preccdhig one, is intended for the sole benefit of those who 
were engaged in the wicked attempt to destroy the life of the nation. The vastncsa 
of the scheme contomphitod by these two bills almost passes belief. 

Wa have, .Mr. Speaker, a basis whicli will enable us to approximate with some 
degree of accuracy their amount. An act was passed shortly after the close of tlie 
war creating tiie court of southern claims commission, and giving it jurisdiction to 
receive and adjudicate elaiins for property taken, occupied, or destroyed by our 
armies where tlie claimant would swear to his constant loyalty during the rebellion. 
A reasonable estimate of the number and amount of the claims under the two bills 
1 am discussing may be formed by taking tiie number and amount of southern 
claims filed bv claimants who have sworn to their loyalty. The number of such 
claims is 22,298. The total amount of sucii claims now fded is $00,258,150. 

it is safe to say that the claims of disloyal claimants will average as much in 
amount as those of loyal claimatits. I tiiink the disloyal people of the South em- 
braced the great body of tluMvealtliy and educated, so that their claims would be 
likely to average more rather than less than those filed by southern loyalists. But 
let us put their avera.ij'e at tlr; same amount. It is also safe to say that there were 
lUly times as many disloyal as there were loyal men who suflered loss by the war 
of th(? rebellion. On tlfis basi*, ami I submit "that it is a reasonable one, the amount 
of these two sehem-is of pluiulor will reach the enormous sum ot ii:;.012.!)l)7,500! 
O.m yon tru^t the southern deuio:jra','y and tlieir northern allies to Iceep this fearful 
burden from j-o'.ir shoulders/ In war tiiey were united in heart ; in peace they are 
not divided. 

Tliere arc one hundred and Ibity-two other bills seeking relief for the South 
whose amount only reaches a few millions of dollars. These are too petty in the 
face of these grander schemes of plunder to demand more extended comment. Lot 
us recapitulate tiiese greater schemes which I have mentioned : 

The direct-tax job S2,492,no 

The cotton-tax job oy,072,3S8 

The war-loss job 3,01-.:,907,500 

Total amount oi'jotjs :S:i,083,'J71,9'J8 

With such vast schemes of plunder to call them together, the army of lobbyists, 
rings, and political sharpers who will intiist the capital under democratic rule will 
be thicker than the lice and more voracious than the locusts of Eg)Tt. This is only 
one of the phases of public plunder under the sounding name of reform to whi-^,h the 
))resent corrupt and protligate democracy invite the country. To that great and 
patriotic party which saved the national life, enfranchised a race, restored national 
honor and financial credit alone can the people of the country to-day look for tliat 
genuine reform and wise, patriotic, and loyal government which ehall add new and 
enduring lustre to the glories of the past. 



